True Crime Vault: There is a Monster in Me

This 20/20 True Crime Vault episode examines a murder case centered on a written confession that provides insight into the killer's psychology and motivations. The episode title 'There is a Monster in Me' suggests a focus on the perpetrator's self-awareness or internal struggle regarding their violent nature. The case involves a woman who was murdered, with the confession serving as the primary narrative device through which the episode explores the crime. As a vault episode (originally aired January 19, 2024), this represents archival material from 20/20's true crime coverage. The episode is approximately 82 minutes long, suggesting a deep-dive format typical of the network's investigative journalism approach. Beyond the basic premise of a murder investigation and confession, the show notes provide minimal detail about the specific case, the victim, the perpetrator, or the circumstances surrounding the crime. There is no indication of guest interviews, expert analysis, or additional investigative reporting. The episode appears to rely primarily on the confession document itself as the central element, with production framing and narration providing context. The promotional language emphasizes the psychological angle—the killer's own words revealing their mindset—rather than forensic details or investigative breakthroughs. The episode is part of 20/20's subscription service push, with the show notes heavily promoting 20/20 True Crime+ and offering a free trial, which suggests this vault content serves partly as a marketing tool for the premium tier.

Verdict: A vault repackaging with minimal detail provided; the confession-centered premise has potential but show notes suggest thin reporting and heavy promotional framing undermine true crime substance.

True Crime rubric

• Research depth 2/5 25%

  Show notes reveal almost no reporting details, interviews, or records work; appears to rely primarily on a single confession document without indication of additional investigation or sourcing.

• Storytelling n/a

  No information provided about narrative structure, pacing, or how the episode is constructed; cannot assess storytelling craft from description alone.

• Respect for victims 3/5 19%

  Title focuses on the killer's psychology rather than victim exploitation, suggesting a measured approach, though show notes provide no detail about how the victim is portrayed.

• Substance 2/5 19%

  Show notes indicate minimal substantive detail beyond 'a woman is murdered' and 'a confession exists'; no indication of additional reporting, context, or investigative content to justify 82-minute runtime.

• Delivers on its title 3/5 19%

  Title promises insight into a killer's mindset via confession, which the premise delivers, but show notes don't confirm the episode actually explores psychological depth or the 'monster' metaphor substantively.

• Value for time 2/5 19%

  82 minutes is substantial for what appears to be a single confession-focused case with no indication of multiple interviews, expert analysis, or layered reporting to justify the length.

How we score True Crime

Worth it if you're a 20/20 completist or interested in killer psychology through confessions, but the sparse description raises questions about depth and originality.

Content flags

• Ad-heavy Show notes are dominated by subscription promotion for 20/20 True Crime+ and ad-choice links, with minimal actual episode description.

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.